The Big Reveal: Notes and Final Thoughts on My Knit Summer Lace Top

I finished my Drops Design Erica Lace Top last Sunday for the Very Shannon #TTTKAL.  It's taken me a few days to post because I'm not sure how I feel about it.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I went down a needle size to get gauge, and that, in combination with using a linen/cotton blend yarn, meant that my lace work didn't open up as much as the sample in the Drops pattern.  I still like my finished lace top, I just don't love it. 

So I may keep this top, or I may frog it to knit something else.  I'm not sure yet, but in the meantime I do have some notes to share for this pattern:


1.  I've already posted some general tips for knitting Drops Design patterns.   This particular pattern may seem daunting due to the number of charts involved.  But if you want to knit this top, you just need to buckle down for the journey and trust that you won't be asked to do more than you can handle at any one time.

2.  Through most of the pattern, you are working 3 to 4 charts all at the same time.  I find it helpful to put a post-it sticker on each chart to mark the row I'm working on.  Then I just move the post-it up as I knit the chart.  Most people don't seem to think of this, but it's the easiest way to keep track of your place on the chart.

And although the pattern doesn't call for this, I placed stitch markers between each change of pattern/chart as I knit across a row.  This was an easy way to know where you are when working.

3.  Although there are a lot of charts with this pattern, A.2A, A.2B and A3 stay constant and are pretty easy to memorize, so you only need to focus on the chart for the center stitches.

4.  That said, I still used a post-it note on both charts for A.2A and A.2B to keep track of where I was so I didn't zone out and do the same stitch pattern on both sides.

5.  I'd also suggest that you keep notes on which rows you do your side decreases on, so you can do them in the same place on the second piece.

6.  I only did a few very minor modifications to this top:

• On the 2nd and 3rd repeats of Chart A.1, I did the 4 st decrease on row 11 instead of row 13 so that my k2togs would be completely hidden in the garter stitch.

• When I knit what I considered my front piece, and I was working my last repeat of Chart A.1,  I omitted the first 4 rows of garter stitch to make the front neckline just a little lower than the back.  I compensated for the difference in length by knitting my front straps a little longer by 4 rows to match the back piece. 

• Small thing, but when I was seaming the front and the back together, I left about a 2 inch vent at the hem on both sides (which you can't see in the photos).  I just liked it better that way.

7.   If you run into any problems understanding the Drops Design patterns, which can be quite brief, you can always look at the other finished projects on Ravelry.  There are some great finished projects and photos posted there.

8.  And the fun/annoying thing about this pattern is that once you get through knitting the front piece, you get to do it all over again for the back piece :)  Actually, if you don't want to go through knitting all the charts again, you could knit another gauge swatch and do the math to knit the back in just Stst.  Just as an option.

Update 2: Tips for Knitting Drops Design Patterns

Drops Design 169-20 Erica Singlet

I haven't made a lot of progress on my lace tank that I'm knitting as part of the Very Shannon Tops, Tanks, and Tees KAL.  I've been sick and have a lot of excuses.  What I can say is that Drops Design knitting patterns can be a bit of a challenge to American knitters if you're not used to them.

I've knit a few Drops Designs in the past.  Drops Designs are wonderful because they release A LOT of FREE patterns, but they're written in the European style which is not what most American knitters are used to.

European patterns tend to write the whole pattern as one paragraph, with no breaks between steps, and only include the necessary information to follow the pattern.  These patterns often rely on charts instead of written instructions.  American patterns tend to be broken down into sequential steps, with line breaks in between.  This makes them easier to follow and to keep track of where you are in the pattern.

Regardless, I've never had a problem with any of the Drops Design patterns and I thought I would lay out some tips for knitting from them:

1.  Make sure you choose to view the pattern in US English.  The first time I tried to follow a Drops pattern, it was set on British English, which I thought would probably be the same.  It's not.

2.  Setting the pattern language to US English should include the measurements in inches in addition to centimeters, but the size diagram will probably still be just in cms.  Take a moment to do the math and change this to inches (unless you're comfortable working in cms).  Write down the measurements in inches on your diagram for quick reference.

3.  Read through the ENTIRE pattern before beginning.  This is just a good rule of thumb to always follow (one I have trouble with myself), but is especially true with Drops patterns.  For instance:  with the Erica Singlet, the pattern lays out the order which to follow all the charts up the front of this top, THEN tells you, in paragraph 3, that you should have started the side decreases back during the second chart.

4.  Copy and paste the pattern into Word to break it down and rearrange it as you need it.  This is, I think, the best way to manage these patterns.  In Word, you can insert line breaks between steps as it makes sense to you.  You can rearrange the directions to move important instructions to the top of your pattern.  And, if necessary, you can enlarge any charts to make them easier to read.

If you are not able to copy and paste the chart, then use a highlighter to mark where each new step begins.  You can even use different colors to indicate a stitch change, an increase row, or other directions.

I hope these tips helps so that you aren't frightened off from trying one of these great Drops Designs!